The damage done by Superstorm Sandy will take time to assess.
Food and beverage companies are wondering if they'll benefit from a spike in purchases as people without power have to throw out food in the fridge.
Restaurant operators hope they can clean up and restore their own power to meet the needs of those eating out because their kitchens aren't functioning.
Not everyone is convinced this storm will benefit the industry.
Beef futures were up Tuesday after falling Monday, but the CME reports, "Traders seem to be questioning whether the sharp break in beef prices last week was enough to take into account the jolt to demand from the storm. Fears of a lack of new buying interest from East Coast retailers and restaurants for much of the week has traders nervous over the possibility of a further break in beef prices."
One innovator in the food and beverage industry isn't too worried.
"In Boston it was basically just a big windstorm," says Jim Koch, founder and chairman of Boston Beer Co. "We were able to keep brewing through all of it." Koch admits the company missed a few deliveries, "But this is the Northeast. I mean, we have snowstorms, we have hail storms, we have hurricanes, this is not LA, you know, life is not easy out here."
So what now?
With the region beginning the cleanup process, Koch has an upbeat attitude. "Now that the worst is over, I think it's time to relax and have a beer." Which is exactly what he did, as you'll see in this video.
—By CNBC's Jane Wells
@janewells
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